Abraham HOW

- 1676

• Name	Abraham HOW
  	Extant birth, marriage, death and probate records for the first two generations of this family all spell the surname as HOW.
  Birth	England
  Gender	Male
  resided	1637	Roxbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [1]
  	The date of Abraham's arrival in the Massachusetts Bay Colony is unknown. However, the records of the First Church of Roxbury note that Abraham and his wife (her name is not given) were admitted as members in 1637.
  Freemanship	2 May 1638	Massachusetts Bay Colony   [2]
  	Abrahm was granted freemanship within the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on 2 May 1638. The prerequisite for obtaining this status was proof of one's membership and good standing in a Congregational Church. The Freeman's Oath legally bound the individual to the government of the colony, and thereby, its laws and orders. Additionally, the Oath required participation by the individual in local and colonial affairs when called upon.
  anecdote	31 Aug 1645	Roxbury, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [3]
  	On 31 August 1645, Abraham was among the members of First Church who signed a covenant to assist in the establishment of the Free School of Roxburie. Today Roxbury Latin School is the oldest school in continuous existence in North America.
  resided	1651	Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony
  	Abraham had moved his family from Roxbury to Dorchester by 8 December 1651. Dorchester Town Records for that date note that he was appointed to a term as fence-viewer. He retained ownership of his property in Roxbury, allowing his eldest son Abraham to reside there. At his death, his will directed that the Roxbury housing and land would legally pass to his son Abraham.
  Occupation	1669	Dorcehester, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [4]
  	Abraham was called a weaver in the March 1669 deed from him and wife Sarah to Robert Badcock.
  Death	1676	Boston, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [1]
  	Abraham died during the summer or the fall of 1676. No extant death record has been found for him. At some point, Abraham had moved his church membership from Roxbury to Boston. And his will was dated at Boston, suggesting that he may have died at the home of his daughter Hester Mason who resided there.
  Will	26 May 1676	Boston, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [5]
  	Abraham signed his will by mark at Boston on 6 May 1676. He appointed his son Israel and his friend Thomas Pears as executors. Thomas Tilestone, Sr. and Thomas Toleman, Sr. were appointed overseers. Richard Collarcott and Esdras Read witnessed the document. Abraham's use of a "mark signature" on his will was likely due to infirmity. His ability to write his name is proved by the extant copy of his signature on the 1645 Covenant for the Roxbury free school.
  inventory	2 Nov 1676	Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [5]
  	Israel How and Thomas Pearse made oath in Suffolk County Probate Court on 2 November 1676 that the two accounts presented that day contained a "just and true inventory of the Estate of Abraham How".
  Will proved	2 Nov 1676	Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [5]
  	Abraham's will was proved in Suffolk County Probate Court on 2 November 1676 by the oaths of Richard Collacot and Esdras Read.
  Person ID	I3765	mason
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Family 1	(UNKNOWN),   b. England d. Dec 1645
  Marriage	England
  Children	1. Elizabeth HOW,   b. c.1624, England d. 9 Jun 1657   2. Sarah HOW,   b. England d. Before 26 May 1676   3. Abraham HOW,   b. England d. 20 Nov 1683, Roxbury, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   4. Hester HOW   5. Isaac HOW,   b. 24 Jun 1639, Roxbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. 15 Sep 1714, Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay (Age 75 years)   6. Deborah HOW,   b. 4 Sep 1641, Roxbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. 1711, Woburn, Middlesex Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay (Age 69 years)   7. Israel HOW,   b. 7 Jul 1644, Roxbury, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. 20 Nov 1715, Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay (Age 71 years)
  Family ID	F432	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Family 2	Sarah (UNKNOWN)   d. 25 Nov 1675
  Marriage	Before 18 Mar 1669/70  [6]
  	Abraham had remarried by 18 March 1669/70 when he and his wife Sara sold a lot of land to Robert Badcock. Abraham had been granted this lot in 1660 in the Milton division of Dorchester lands.
  Family ID	F6286	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

• Sources

  [S152] Walter Eliot Thwing, Thwing, History of the First Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, 1630 - 1904, ((Boston: W.A. Butterfield, 1908)), p. 53. [S1590] Lucius R. Paige; indexed by Elizabeth Petty Bentley, Paige, List of Freemen of Massachusetts, 1630 - 1691, ((Baltimore: GPC, 1978)), p. 15., ISBN 0-8063-0806-0. [S1635] Daniel Wait Howe, compiler & Gilman Bigelow Howe, editor, Howe & Howe, Howe Genealogies 2 volumes, ((Haverhill, MA: Record Publishing Co, 1929)), p. 1. [S1635] Daniel Wait Howe, compiler & Gilman Bigelow Howe, editor, Howe & Howe, Howe Genealogies 2 volumes, ((Haverhill, MA: Record Publishing Co, 1929)). p. 2 [How - Badcock deed] [S1635] Daniel Wait Howe, compiler & Gilman Bigelow Howe, editor, Howe & Howe, Howe Genealogies 2 volumes, ((Haverhill, MA: Record Publishing Co, 1929)). Vol II, pp. 3 - 5 [transcriptions of will and 2 inventories] [S1635] Daniel Wait Howe, compiler & Gilman Bigelow Howe, editor, Howe & Howe, Howe Genealogies 2 volumes, ((Haverhill, MA: Record Publishing Co, 1929)), p. 2.